System and method for dynamic privacy filter

Abstract

An electronic system and method detect orientations of display devices of an electronic system, and determine an orientation mode of the display devices. The system and method identify one or more software applications presenting information on at least one of the display devices. Electronically controlled privacy filters in the display devices are individually activated or deactivated in the at least one of the display devices to alter opacity of the displayed information based on one or more of the orientations of the display devices and/or the one or more software applications.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic system comprising:
 multiple electronic display devices each including an individually and electronically controllable privacy filter that adjusts opacities of information that is electronically presented on the display device;   one or more sensors operably coupled with the display devices, the one or more sensors configured to detect orientations of the display devices; and   a control unit configured to receive a signal from the one or more sensors that indicates the orientations of the display devices that are detected, the control unit configured to identify an orientation mode of the display devices, the control unit configured to activate or deactivate the electronically controllable privacy filters in the display devices to independently control the opacities of the information presented on the display devices based on the orientation mode.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic system of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to identify one or more software applications presenting the information on one or more of the display devices, the control unit configured to activate or deactivate the electronically controllable privacy filter in the one or more of the display devices based on the one or more software applications presenting the information on the one or more of the display devices. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic system of  claim 1 , wherein the display devices are dual laptop screens. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include a hinge sensor configured to measure an angle between the display devices. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include one or more accelerometers configured to measure the orientations of the display devices relative to each other. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic system of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to identify the orientation mode of the display devices as one or more of a standing vertical orientation mode, a vertical book orientation mode, an extended laptop orientation mode, a condensed laptop orientation mode, a horizontal book orientation mode, or a tent orientation mode. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include a camera configured to detect whether an eye level of a user relative to the camera, the control unit configured to identify the orientation mode of the display devices and to activate or deactivate the electronically controllable privacy filters based on the eye level of the user relative to the camera. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 detecting orientations of multiple display devices;
 identifying an orientation mode of the display devices based on the orientations that are detected; and 
 individually activating or deactivating electronically controllable privacy filters in the display devices to independently control opacities of information presented on the display devices based on the orientation mode that is identified. 
   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 identifying one or more software applications presenting the information on one or more of the display devices; and   activating or deactivating the electronically controllable privacy filter in the one or more of the display devices based on the one or more software applications presenting the information on the one or more of the display devices.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the orientations that are detected are orientations of dual laptop screens as the display devices. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the orientations are detected as an angle between the display devices using a hinge sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the orientations are detected using one or more accelerometers. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the orientation mode of the display devices is identified as one or more of a standing vertical orientation mode, a vertical book orientation mode, an extended laptop orientation mode, a condensed laptop orientation mode, a horizontal book orientation mode, or a tent orientation mode. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the orientations are detected using a camera detecting whether an eye level of a user relative to the camera, wherein the orientation mode of the display devices is identified, and the electronically controllable privacy filters are activated or deactivated based on the eye level of the user relative to the camera. 
     
     
         15 . An electronic system comprising:
 display devices each having an electronically controllable privacy filter;   at least one sensor configured to detect orientations of the display devices; and   a control unit configured to determine an orientation mode of the display devices and to identify one or more software applications presenting information on at least one of the display devices, the control unit configured to individually activate or deactivate the electronically controlled privacy filter in the at least one of the display devices to alter an opacity of the information presented on the at least one of the display devices, the control unit configured to individually activate or deactivate the electronically controlled privacy filter based on one or more of the orientations of the display devices or the one or more software applications.   
     
     
         16 . The electronic system of  claim 15 , wherein the control unit is configured to individually activate or deactivate the electronically controlled privacy filter based on the orientations of the display devices. 
     
     
         17 . The electronic system of  claim 15 , wherein the control unit is configured to individually activate or deactivate the electronically controlled privacy filter based on the one or more software applications. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one sensor includes a hinge sensor configured to measure an angle between the display devices as the orientations of the display devices. 
     
     
         19 . The electronic system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one sensor includes accelerometers configured to measure the orientations of the display devices relative to each other. 
     
     
         20 . The electronic system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one sensor includes a camera configured to measure the orientations of the display devices based on an eye level of a user of the electronic system.